Strachan: McGeady Not for Sale

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Irish Voice Sport

Strachan: McGeady Not for Sale

February 28, 2008

By Cathal Dervan

CELTIC manager Gordon Strachan has insisted he has no intention of selling Irish winger Aiden McGeady in the summer after Newcastle United joined the list of Premiership clubs chasing the youngster.

McGeady has been valued at a whopping £12 million in the Scottish media but Strachan claimed, “I don’t need £12million and I’d rather keep all the good players instead. You have to ask when you are selling players like that if you can get replacements.

“We want to keep the good players here and we want to keep them happy.”

Irish youth striker Cillian Sheridan is finally back in full training with Celtic after six months out with a hip injury and is determined to fight his way back into the first team picture.

“I’ve been back in training over the last two weeks and it’s been good,” said the 19-year-old from Cavan. “I got a hip operation in October so it kept me out for over six months. I’m still a little bit stiff after training so I’m taking it gingerly.”

Celtic left it late to beat St. Mirren on Sunday when a controversial free-kick three minutes from time was sent crashing to the net by Shunsuke Nakamura.

Even Celtic coach Tommy Burns admitted his team was fortunate to win the free-kick and the game. “I never got a right good look at it but at the time it seemed to me to be a foul,” Burns said.

“Nakamura cleverly cut across him and doing that you will always get the benefit of the doubt, as a forward. If I was at St. Mirren I would probably be aggrieved as well but these things sometimes go for you or against you.

“We were very pleased with the result and at this stage it is all about winning points. It wasn’t easy on the eye but it won’t be anything that will concern anyone if we manage to win the league.”

The Champions League is back on the menu for Celtic next week with the Bhoys 3-2 down to Barcelona after a master class display from the Catalans at Parkhead last week that had Bhoys striker Scott McDonald drooling.

“They were even better than I had thought they would be,” the 24-year-old Australia international said. “You just had to look at their bench to see what they could bring on.

“It’s not every team that can bring on Gudjohnsen, Xavi, and Eto’o when a few of their other stars get tired. It was frightening to look at. They are exceptional, and if we don’t beat them then they will go very close in the competition.”

It will be a massive task for Celtic in Spain but McDonald claimed, “I wouldn’t say a miracle (was needed to get through) but it will take a lot of hard work, belief and ability. But as the gaffer said the other day, you wouldn’t put your house on it.

“However, we have got to go there with a positive attitude. We were disappointed that we didn’t come out with a positive result on Wednesday. We kept giving the ball away cheaply which made it difficult for us but there was a lot to take from the game. It will be difficult going to the Nou Camp but it is exciting.

“I don’t think any of us have played there before so it is something to look forward to and it will be a fantastic occasion.”

Keane’s Irish Up

ROY Keane has lashed out at Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief executive John Delaney and TV pundit Eamon Dunphy after both men criticized him in recent weeks for comments about the appointment of the new Ireland manager.

Keane branded the infamous FAI process a joke in the build-up to Giovanni Trapattoni’s appointment, with both Delaney and Dunphy critical of his input to the debate.

The Sunderland manager hit back on Friday with a sarcastic attack on both men.

Asked about Trapattoni’s new job Keane said, “I hope it’s a good choice. I was asked a couple of months ago, and I thought Dave O’Leary would have been ideal.

“Trapattoni is 68, he’s signed a two-year deal, I hope he’ll at least keep his eye on the under-21s and the youths. It’s a short-term thing.”

Then he added, “John Delaney, is it John Delaney? He’s a great man, him, like. He’s come out and said it’s a great appointment — and the FAI have not even paid for him. If you ask any club or organization would they want their man without paying for it . . . it’s a great job for him, chief executive, great man.”

Denis O’Brien, who is paying half of Trapattoni’s costs, also got a Keane lash when he added, “Trapattoni’s CV is fantastic. And the players can’t go wrong in terms of his experience. Now he’s signed a two-year deal, Steve Staunton had a four-year deal, so maybe that’s irrelevant. But his CV is up there with Capello’s, fantastic.

“John Delaney was on last week saying ‘it’s a great move for us.’ Denis O’Brien, who wants to keep it private by telling everyone it’s him — they make me laugh, these people. They make me laugh. I bet if you told the Welsh or Scottish FA that they could pick their man and someone else would pay for it . . . it makes his job easier, doesn’t it? He’s the chief exec and he’s getting other people to pay. That’s the FAI.”

Keane also responded to Dunphy’s claim that he should shut up. “Eamon has had an outburst, has he?” asked Keane. “It’s not like Eamon, that. I think in future if I’m asked a question then I should ring Eamon before I give my opinion. I think he’d be happy with that.

“Eamon’s obviously a good friend of mine, I think I last spoke to him about four or five years ago. Maybe I need to give him a call. He’s clearly upset about that.”

Meanwhile, Sunderland have offered Keane a new contract, but the Corkman is in no rush to sign before the summer.

Chairman Niall Quinn revealed, “Roy has next season still on his contract and fair play to him, he says, ‘Let’s get our first season in the Premiership out of the way and we’ll sit down and evaluate where we’re going.’ How it all pans out we’ll know by then — I don’t know now.

“There’s honor there. I don’t have to worry about agents coming in and affecting Roy and twisting his head, as can happen in this game. I’m delighted that the job has been done very professionally. I’m a football person and Roy is a football person and we both believe the right time to bring this up will be next summer.”

Asked about his contract situation, Keane said, “I don’t really think that is an issue. If we want to look at that in the summer I will be delighted to, but it is all very low-key. It is not important.”

Call for Ireland

VETERAN Irish star Kevin Kilbane wants to see Manchester City’s controversial midfielder Stephen Ireland back in the Republic squad for Giovanni Trapattoni’s first game in charge against Serbia in May.

“Stephen Ireland should come back and play for his country,” said Kilbane. “He’s a big talent and I think he has got to be picked. He’s 21 and there’s been so much said about Stephen. It was mentioned that he had been bullied when he came into the squad, but that’s an absolute load of rubbish.

“Wherever that came from its total nonsense. I hope Stephen himself wasn’t suggesting that, but I think he needs to come back now. He’s a big talent for us and he’s a big miss for us. I think he was one of our top scorers in the European Championship qualifiers. He only played about four games and probably scored three or four goals.

“We are now back to square one and we have a big name coming in to lead us. We have got to embrace the situation.”

Brady on Board

LIAM Brady will finalize his deal to become part of the backroom staff with new Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni when they meet in Austria later this week after Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger gave the move his approval.

Brady revealed to RTE, “I spoke with Arsene and he’s more than happy for me to take up a role with Ireland as long as I don’t feel that it’s going to interfere with what I do at Arsenal. So, I’m going to see Giovanni this week and talk over the position that he wants me to fill.

“And I’m looking forward to speaking to him and finding out exactly what’s on offer.”

Brady worked with Trapattoni at Juventus and added, “He’s very knowledgeable. He was a fine footballer. People don’t often mention that but he played in the AC Milan side which won the European Cup in the ‘60s. He also won titles as a player in Italy.

“But he’s a great manager. He’s a great motivator, he’s always very, very well prepared. He instills great team spirit in the teams he manages. That’s the overriding factor for me. I think he’ll create a great team spirit within the Ireland team.”

Ireland could play Colombia in a London friendly at the end of May with Trapattoni anxious for a second fixture after his debut against Serbia in Dublin on May 24.

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